Melanin is ubiquitous in nature, and is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. For many years, melanin had no biological or physiological function attributed to it, other than it being considered a simple sunscreen. Because melanin was able to absorb all wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, but did not seem to emit any energy, it was considered the darkest molecule. This characteristic was unique to melanin, and contradicted thermodynamic laws, because other compounds capable of absorbing energy, particularly pigments, emit at least a portion of the energy absorbed. Thus, the electronic properties of melanin have been the focus of attention for quite some time. However, melanin is one of the most stable compounds known to man, and for a long time, it seemed that melanin was unable to catalyze any chemical reaction, or have any other biological or physiological function.
Recently, the intrinsic ability of melanin to split the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen upon absorption of electromagnetic energy, such as light energy, has previously been reported in U.S. Pat. No. 8,455,145. It is believed that upon the absorption of electromagnetic energy, such as light energy (visible or invisible), melanin catalyzes the dissociation of water into diatomic hydrogen (H2), diatomic oxygen (O2), and electrons. Although the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen consumes energy, the reaction is reversible, and in the reverse process, the reduction of oxygen atoms with diatomic hydrogen reforms water molecules and liberates energy.
It has also recently been demonstrated that nicotine can increase the release or activity of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) in a subject, which is believed to be efficacious in treating different disorders by inducing “human photosynthesis” in the subject (see, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0270907). Although the mechanism is not fully understood, it is hypothesized that the increased release or activity of α-MSH increases the synthesis of melanin.
Despite the growing knowledge regarding the biological functions of melanin, the therapeutic effects of direct administration of melanin have only been explored in a limited capacity. For example, melanin has been shown to be a simple sunscreen with a low protection factor equivalent to that of a 2% copper sulfate solution. Direct injection of a melanin solution into the anterior chamber of the eye in rabbits was shown to increase both the clearance period of hyphema and the incidence of rebleeds, suggesting that injection of melanin into the eye has a negative effect on the treatment of hyphema. Lai et al. “Effect of Melanin on Traumatic Hyphema in Rabbits” Arch. Ophthalmol. (1999) 177, 789-93. However, as far as the inventor is aware, the effect of direct administration of melanin as a therapeutic agent has not yet been fully explored.